photo by rhonda apple ‘‘The Pirate Party” glides across the pool with captain ‘‘Crusty” Steve Vekony and 3-year-old twin daughters Ava ‘‘Salty” and Sophia ‘‘Misty” Vekony, aboard their cardboard creation ‘‘Tipsy Gypsy II.”

Team captains, first mates and dozens of curious bystanders were among the crowd of 50 Soldiers, Family members and JBM-HH employees on deck for the JBM-HH inaugural Cardboard Boat Regatta. Laughter and the occasional pirate’s words, ‘‘yo ho ho, heave ho, aaarrrrrgggghhhh!” filled the air. The community pool was festive with banners, Jolly Roger flags and of course, sailing songs.

JBM-HH Family Morale Welfare and Recreation Directorate sponsored the first-ever race. Recreation delivery specialist Todd Hopkins said, ‘‘This should be a fun and interesting race, with five teams entering today.”

Teams of two to four people entering the race had to construct their boats from only two materials – corrugated cardboard and duct tape.

FMWR representatives were on hand prior to the race to inspect the boats and ensure there were no added materials to aid the floatation or speed of the boats during the regatta.

Staff Sgt. Michael Drake and Spc. Wayne Pflasterer from Delta Company 1⁄3 Infantry (The Old Guard) talked excitedly about their boat ‘‘More Awesomer.” Drake said, ‘‘Our entire squad got together and helped build this boat in one day.” Predicting their outcome in the regatta, Pflasterer exclaimed ‘‘We’re going to sink!” The Soldiers who chose the team name ‘‘Delta Full Honors” laughed, then Drake added, ‘‘Seriously, we’re going for the win!”

Not far away from the Soldiers, team ‘‘Hula Girls,” Jordan Koon and Isabel Parks, age 12, were preparing to launch their cardboard creation, ‘‘Volcanic Luau,” in the pool.

Entering in the youth division, Parks said, ‘‘We wanted a summer theme.” Dressed in swimsuits, hula skirts and flower leis, the girls were excited about entering the regatta. ‘‘The hardest part was taping the boat together,” said Koon.

The ‘‘Tipsy Gypsy II” was another boat in the regatta manned by the team ‘‘Pirate Party” with ‘‘Crusty” Steve Vekony and identical twin sailor daughters, Ava ‘‘Salty” and Sophia, ‘‘Misty,” age 3, as crew members. Vekony looked the part, complete with long black wig and large hoop earring. The twins wore pirate hats and completed their ensemble with painted beards and plastic buccaneer swords.

‘‘The Candy Girls,” Lucy Greenfield and Alexis Parks, both 9, said they were debating names for their boat, when Parks’ sister Isabel suggested ‘‘Sweet Dreams.” The girls decorated their boat with a candy theme. Another pirate family to enter was the ‘‘Triple B,” piloted by team captain ‘‘Boudreau Black Tail,” Master Sgt. Keith Boudreau, and his son, Bryce ‘‘Black Hawk” Boudreau, age 9. ‘‘We worked all day Saturday building the boat,” the elder Boudreau said.

Hopkins welcomed the group of 50 people to the first cardboard boat regatta at JBM-HH and he went over the rules and ensured the children were wearing life jackets. The fun continued with the launching of the boats for the races. A few of the boats made it across the pool and back without sinking. ‘‘Impressive and unbelievable” were heard repeatedly in the crowd of bystanders. The ‘‘Tipsy Gypsy II” never sprang a leak. However, what was left of some of the boats ended up in the community pool trash containers.

Trophies were awarded at the end of the races to the following teams:

‘‘Pride of the Regatta” and first place, adults division, went to team ‘‘Delta Full Honors” for their boat ‘‘More Awesomer” raced by Drake and Pflasterer. What put the Soldiers ahead of other worthy competitors? ‘‘Lots of layers of cardboard,” said Drake. ‘‘Good duct tape also,” added Pflasterer.

‘‘Hula Girls” won the ‘‘Titanic Award” for paddling their boat across the pool and past a specific point on return before sinking. The ‘‘Volcanic Luau” began sinking well before the halfway mark, but they persisted in paddling until there was nothing but shreds of cardboard floating around them. They also won second place in the youth division.

Team ‘‘Candy Girls” won first place in the youth division as well as the ‘‘Vogue” award for the most decorative and creative design for their boat, ‘‘Sweet Dreams.” ‘‘We did well today,” said Greenfield. ‘‘We want to do this again next year.” The award for ‘‘team spirit” went to the Vekony Family team, ‘‘The Pirate Party,” for their boat, ‘‘Tipsy Gypsy II.” They also won second place in the adult⁄youth division.

‘‘Boudreau Blacklight Buccaneers” and their boat, ‘‘Triple B,” won first place, adult⁄youth division. Hopkins said, ‘‘I was flabbergasted at the effort and results of the regatta. It really was an impressive race and everyone seemed to enjoy it very much.”

There was one five-way tie between all the teams in the inaugural event – every team that entered the event said they planned to return to race again next year.